1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium, a game display method and a game display apparatus having a program for forming images constituting a video game.
2. Description of Relevant Materials
In recent years, there have been developed video games employing advanced technologies. In these games, display objects (as will be called the xe2x80x9cobjectsxe2x80x9d for simplicity) such as persons, machines, tools, buildings or backgrounds are displayed in a three-dimensional virtual space on the screen.
In the video game, the image forming operations are repeated several tens of times for one second so that still images (as will be called the xe2x80x9cframe imagesxe2x80x9d) of several frame groups are formed for one second. The group of frame images thus sequentially formed are written alternately in a pair of frame buffers. The frame images thus written are read out from the pair of frame buffers and displayed in a display unit in accordance with a predetermined frame image display period (as may be simply called the xe2x80x9cframe periodxe2x80x9d) determined by the display unit.
Of the objects thus displayed, the character imitating a person can also be moved according to the operation of the player. Generally, however, the progressing speed (i.e., the speed at which all the objects on the screen move) of the game on the screen is determined by the game program.
If this progressing speed could be changed according to the taste of the player, it would be expected that the game could be enjoyed in various manners.
According to the content of the game, for example, similar scenes may appear repeatedly many times. If these screens were repeatedly displayed at the same progressing speed, the player would lose interest. As in the quick-advance reproduction function belonging to the VTR (Video Tape Recorder), therefore, there has been desired an image reproduction method in which the progressing speed of the game can be changed by the operation of the player.
An object of the invention is to provide a game display method, a game display apparatus and a recording medium, which are suited for changing the progressing speed of a video game to a desired value in accordance with the operation input of a player.
In order to achieve the above-specified object, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a game display method for a frame display in synchronism with a reference signal produced for a constant period, comprising: inputting a key signal indicating a display speed in response to an operation input; determining the number of frames to be processed between a first reference signal and a second reference signal, as consecutively produced, in accordance with a display speed based on the input key signal; and synchronizing the last frame display when the frame display is made at the determined frame number, with said second reference signal.
According to the game display method of the invention, in response to the operation input of the player, the progressing speed of the game, as displayed on the screen, can be changed to one different from the ordinary game progressing speed.
Specifically, the frame display can be synchronized with said second reference signal after at least one frame image is displayed repeatedly a number of times according to the determined frame number.
Alternatively, the frame display is synchronized with said second reference signal after a number of frame images, based upon the determined frame number, are skipped.
Moreover, the frame display can be synchronized with said second reference signal after frame images generated in response to the operation input are displayed repeatedly a number of times according to the determined frame number and after a number of frame images, based upon the determined frame number, are skipped.
More specifically, the game display method further comprises: adjusting the progressing speed of a musical composition to be output, according to the determined frame number.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having a program recorded for a video game to be executed by a computer for a frame display in synchronism with a reference signal produced for a constant period, wherein said program causes said computer to perform: inputting a key signal indicating a display speed in response to an operation input; determining the number of frames to be processed between a first reference signal and a second reference signal, as consecutively produced, in accordance with a display speed based on the input key signal; and synchronizing the last frame display when the frame display is made at the determined frame number, with said second reference signal.
According to the recording medium of the invention, there is obtained a program by which in response to the operation input of the player, the progressing speed of the game, as displayed on the screen, can be changed to one different from the ordinary game progressing speed.
For example, the frame display is synchronized with said second reference signal after at least one frame image is displayed repeatedly a number of times according to the determined frame number.
Moreover, the frame display can be synchronized with said second reference signal after a number of frame images, based upon the determined frame number, were skipped.
Also, the frame display can be synchronized with said second reference signal after the frame images generated in response to the operation input are displayed repeatedly a number of times according to the determined frame number and after a number of frame images, based upon the determined frame number are skipped.
More specifically, the recording medium further comprises: adjusting the progressing speed of a musical composition to be output according to the determined frame number.
According to a desired aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having a program recorded for a video game to be executed by a computer, wherein said program comprises: forming a plurality of frame images constituting the video game sequentially; displaying the plurality of frame images, by switching the frame images from a frame buffer; predicting the formation time periods of said frame images when said frame images are individually formed; determining the game progress to be made by said frame images, in dependence upon the formation time periods of said frame image, as predicted; and changing said determined game progress determined, in response to the operation input by a player.
More specifically, said prediction step predicts one of the formation time periods of said frame images which are expressed in the units of the frame image display period of the shortest period of switching the displays of said frame images at said display step, as the individual formation time periods of said frame images.
According to another desired aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having a program recorded for a video game to be executed by a computer, wherein said program comprises: forming a group of frame images constituting the video game sequentially; displaying the group of frame images by switching the frame images from a frame buffer; metering the formation time period of each preceding frame image before each of the group of frame images when said frame image just before is formed; determining the game progress to be made by said frame image, in dependence upon the formation time periods of said preceding frame image, as metered when the group of frame images are individually formed; and changing said determined game progress, in response to the operation input by a player.
According to still another desired aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium having a program recorded for a video game to be executed by a computer, wherein said program comprises: forming a group of frame images constituting the video game, sequentially in synchronism with the ends of the formations of the individually preceding frame images; displaying the group of formed frame images, such that the group of frame images formed by said formation step may be switched from a frame buffer and displayed after one of the individual formation ends of the group of frame images in synchronism with a predetermined clock signal having a frame image display period of the shortest time period for switching the displays of the group of frame images; predicting the formation time periods of the group of frame images when said frame images are individually formed; determining the game progress to be made by said frame images, in dependence upon the formation time periods of said frame images, as predicted; and changing said determined game progress, in response to the operation input by a player.
More desirably, the formation of a next frame image begins after finishing formation of the group of frame images in synchronism with said clock signal.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a game display apparatus, comprising: a computer-readable recording medium recorded with a program for processing a frame display in synchronism with a reference signal produced for a constant period; a computer for reading and executing at least one portion of the program from said recording medium; and a display for displaying a video game to be realized by said program, wherein said computer reads said at least one portion of the program from said recording medium, and wherein said computer, in executing said at least one portion of the program from said recording medium: receives an input of a key signal indicating a display speed in response to an operation input; determines the number of frames to be processed between a first reference signal and a second reference signal, as consecutively produced, in accordance with a display speed based on the key signal input by said controller; and synchronizes the last frame display when the frame display is made at the frame number determined by the processing unit with said second reference signal.
According to the game display apparatus of the invention, the progressing speed of the game on the screen can be changed in response to the operation input of the player.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 11-327552, filed on Nov. 17, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.